The present invention is directed to an improved book cover which can be adapted to protect a wide range of sizes of books without cutting or otherwise significantly altering the book cover.
Book covers have been known for many years. As an example, in a known book cover the cover material has ends with flaps which are folded over the respective covers of the book as in U.S. Pat. No. 295,996 to Getchell issued Apr. 1, 1884. One problem associated with such a book cover is that it is not able to fit a wide range of sizes of books. Further, the durability and fit of such known book cover may be less than satisfactory.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved book cover which can be adapted to fit a wide range of sizes of books, for example, from small paperback books to books as large as a telephone directory, without significant alteration of the cover. A further object of the invention is to provide a book cover which is durable and which securely fits any book on which it is used.
These and other objects of the invention are attained by the book cover of the invention which comprises a cover material adapted to be placed over the front and rear covers and the binding of a book to protect a book, and means for connecting two opposite sides of said cover material to one another adjacent each of two opposite ends of said cover material for forming sleeve-like configurations with said cover material adjacent said opposite ends for respectively receiving the front and rear covers of the book in telescoping relationship with the portion of the cover material intermediate the opposite ends which are telescoped over the book covers being folded back and extending over the front and rear book covers and book binding.
According to a further feature of the invention, the book cover further comprises means for securing the portion of the cover material which is folded back and extends over the front and rear covers of the book to the adjacent covers. In a disclosed, preferred embodiment of the invention, the means for securing comprises a plurality of strips of material for encircling the cover material and respective ones of the book covers for securing the portion of the cover material to the adjacent covers. The ends of each strip of material are releasably secured to one another to facilitate placement and removal of the book cover. The length of each of the strips can be adjusted for accommodating different sized books. The strips are also preferably elastically yieldable for resiliently securing the cover material on the book covers.
An additional feature of the invention is that the length of the connecting means for connecting two opposite sides of the cover material to one another adjacent each of two opposite ends of the cover material for forming sleeve-like configurations with the cover material adjacent the opposite ends for respectively receiving the front and rear covers of the book in telescoping relationship, is adjustable. Further, the connecting means is preferably elastically yieldable for resiliently securing the ends of the cover material in telescoping relationship over the book covers. This, together with the use of the plurality of strips of material which encircle the respective covers of the book ensure a snug, secure fit of the cover of the invention on the book even though the size of book which is covered can be any size within a wide range of sizes.
The book cover is used in combination with stiffening members adapted to be placed over at least the front and rear covers of a paperback book to add structural integrity to the covers when a paperback book is to be covered. The stiffening can be formed of cardboard or plastic, for example.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description with taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, one embodiment in accordance with the invention.